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15 May, 2006
Goodyear Thailand Ltd. has refused to reinstate 18 contract workers it sacked last year, despite an Industrial Court Commission (IRC) ruling that it must do so. Sixteen of the 18 reported for work at Goodyear’s Bangkok tyre factory on 3 May, but management refused entry.
Later, the workers received letters stating that the company disagrees with the IRC directive and intends to file papers in Thailand’s central labour court to reverse the decision. “The IRC’s order is not final,” the letters read, “not until we exhaust the labour court mechanisms and the company cannot reinstate you at this time.”
The contract workers, employed in the warehouse and rubber stock department, were fired in October 2005 for attempting to exert their legitimate collective bargaining rights. Several had been working for Goodyear for up to 10 years under one-year contracts. Goodyear had been deducting union dues from their pay checks for as long as four years. The IRC delivered its reinstatement order in mid-April. The ICEM will continue to press for permanent employment at Goodyear for the Thai rubber workers.